Apparatus for treating patent leather



Feb. 18, 1930. w. A. HUGHES. A 1,747,301

APPARATUS FOR TREATING PATENT LEATHER Filed Sept. 22. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 --A I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII rill/Z INVENTOR Feb. 18, 1930. w. A. HUGHES APPARATUS FOR TREATING PATENT LEATHER Filed Sept. 22. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet ms ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 18, 1930' UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE WILLIAM A. HUGHES, OI' HORRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO COOPER HEWITT ELECTRIC COMPANY, 01 HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY APPARATUS FOR TREATHIG PATENT LEATHER Application fled September 22, 1988. Serial 1T0. 187,109.

. moist atmosphere or the body of the hide in so treated.

he invention further relates to method and apparatus for keeping hides being solarized from losing moisture during the solarizing process and thereby to keep the hides from shrinking. This is a particular advantags in the case of varnished hides because in this way the area of the hides to which varnish has been applied is kept from decreasing, and buckling and cracking of the varnished hide is prevented.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be obvious from the following particular description of one form of 4 along the line 11 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal elevation view in section taken along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal elevation view of an alternative form of moisture supplying 'means and Fig. 4 is a vertical elevation view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

In the drawings the casin or tunnel enclosure 1 supports on each of 1ts longitudinal sides a bank of lamps 2,, 2 which are sources of light :rich in ultraviolet li' ht. These lamps are indicated as being o the quartz type mercury vapor lamp. Above each bank is mounted a longitudinal support or track inthe form of an angle iron 4 which extends from one end of the tunnel casing 1 to the other. Above Stud tracks 4:, 4: and -from one end to the other of the tunnel there is mount eda 'air of endless chains 6, 6 on shafts 8, 8, suita le means not shown being provided for driving said shafts and chains as through the gear 10. Mounted across said chains at intervals are the cross bars 12, 12 each of.

which carries at each of its ends a roller 13, 13 designed to travel over its respective track 4 and support the bar 12. Between its ends each of said bars 12, 12 carries a pair of longitudinal supporting pins 15, 15 spaced from the bar 12 and mounted thereto by means of lugs 16. Said pins 15, 15 serve for carrying hide stretching frames 18 which are mounted thereonto b means of hooks,20, 20 mounted to one side t ereof. By these means stretched and varnished hides can bespaced apart and mounted in two rows extending the length of thetreating chamber '1. Longitudinally through the center of chamber 1 and near the top thereofextends the water pi e 22 which throughout its length is provide with small openings 24, 24. Along said pipe 22 is hung a curtain 26 of canvas, felt or other suitable material by means of a loop 28 formed along one edge thereof. Said openings 24 are shown 1n the drawings as being along the bottom of the pipe but when desired as for preventing spattering and for controlling the ow these holes are spaced at portions of the pipe covered by said loop 28. Said curtain 26 is shown as being in sections for convenience in handling but when necessary or desired it can be in one piece extending the de-' sired length of the treating chamber. This curtain 26 extends vertically through a distance' great enough to present moisture to all parts ,of hides mounted thereat or moved thereby. At the bottom of the chamber and below the lower edge of the curtain is provided the drain trough 30. The distance between the curtain 26 and the hides 32 is made ture The hides can be treated with the ultra violet light either while being carried through the chamber 1 by means of the said chains 6, 6 or while being supported stationary' thereby, this depending upon the length of chamber 1, time ing, and other conditions an factors. During such treating the lamps 2, 2 are energized and illuminated in a manner well known in the art to produce ultra violet radiations, they being spaced at a suitable distance from the hides 32, 32. Durin the treatment water is circulated throng said pipe 22 a1 a rate suitable for maintaining said curtain 26, 26 moist for the urpose of maintaining hides in suitable and esired moist conditions and for the purpose of preventing evaporation from the hides of natural moisture and of oils and so on, the presence of which are im ortant factors in determining the len th' 0 life A 1 In Figs. 3 and 4 are illustrated an alternative means for supporting the moisture curtains 26, 26 in which the feed pipe 22' has fixed thereto auxiliary pipes 35, which extend parallel thereto and which are of comparatively short length to suit convenient removal and replacement of said curtains 26, 26. As shown in the drawings said pi es 35, 35 are arranged below the pipe 22' ut in certain cases as for positioning the curtains 26,26 at desired distances from the hides said pipes 35, 35 are positioned laterally along said main ipe 22'. v

Although I have shown and described and have pointed out in the annexed claims certain novel features of the invention, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the severalsteps of the process, and in its operation and in the form and details of the apparatus illustrated may be made by thosefi lled in the art without departing from the spirit of the inven tion. I claim:

1. Incombination in apparatus for treating varnished hides, an artificial source of light rich in ultra violet rays and means for exposing an extended area of water parallel to the position of hides therein.

2. In combination in apparatus for treating varnished hides, an artificial source of light rich in ultra violet rays andmeans for exposing an extended area of water along uiredrfor treatsing hi the position ofhides therein'and closely adjacent thereto.

3. In combination in apparatus for treating varnished hides an artificial source of light rich in ultra violet rays, means for supporting hides in position to be exposed to said source, and means for supplying water vapor to the exposed hides comprisin means for extending water over an ap recia 1e area substantially parallel to hides eing treated 4. In combination in apparatus for treatinp' varnished hides, an artificial source of light rich in ultra violet rays, means for supporting hides in position to be exposed to said source, and means for supplying water vapor to the exposed hides comprising means for hides with ultra violet light, in combination,

a source of artificial light rich in ultra violet rays, means for sup orting stretched hides for exposure to said light and means for supplying water vapor to the hides being exposed comprising a blanket extending substantially parallel to the hides at the side thereof opposite to said light source and means for keeping said blanket moistened.

7. In apparatus for treating varnished hides being treated I hides with ultra violet light, in combination,

a source of artificial light rich in ultra violet rays, means for supporting stretched hides for exposure to said light and for conveying the stretched hides in continuous succession past the light source and means for supplying water vapor to the hides being exposed comprising a blanket extending substantially parallel to the hides at the side thereof opposite to said light source and means for keeping said blanket moistened.

8. In apparatus for artificially solarizing varnished hides, in combination, a source of light rich in ultra violet rays, a blanket of such material as canvasffelt and the like ex tending over an appreciable area, means for wetting said blanket,'and means for supporting hides between 'said source and said blanket with the side to be solarized toward saidlight source.

9. In apparatus for artificially solarizing varnished hides, in combination, a source of light rich in ultra violet rays, a blanket of such material as canvas, felt and the like extending over an appreciable area, means for wetting said blanket and means for conveyes in successive progression between said source and said blanketwith the side to be solarized toward said light source.

10. The process of treating varnished hides comprising maintaining a water supply in proximity to said hides and applyin Water rom said supply over an appreciab e area substantially parallel to said hides but out of contact therewith.

11. The process of treating varnished hides comprising maintaining a water supply in proximity to said hides and applying water from said supply over anaappreciable area substantially parallel to said hides, and subjecting said hides to artificially generated ultra violet rays.

12. In apparatus for treating varnished hides, means for supplying water vapor to the atmosphere at the hides comprising a curtain extending substantially parallel to the hides and means for supplying water to the surface of said curtain.

Signed at Hoboken in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey this 21st day of September A. D. 1926.

5 WILLIAM A. HUGHES. 

